New BigDog video doesn’t fail to impress

Those following the evolution of quadrupedal assist robots will recognize the specimen seen above as a relative of BigDog. This is AlphaDog, one of the latest prototypes in Boston Dynamics’ Legged Squadron Support Systems program. It’s designed to carry 400 pounds of payload, which explains the disc weights seen on either side of the torso. Like its diminutive sibling, LittleDog, it’s able to take on all kinds of terrain. Here it’s being tested with boxes full of rocks.

The robot is capable of picking itself up and getting under way again without intervention. The first video after the break shows test footage where the robot starts nearly upside-down and has no trouble righting itself again. When we looked in on a biped version back in 2009 we also linked to the BigDog prototype which showed developers trying to tip it over mid stride. This version has the same balance resiliency.

Also embedded after the break is a video showing the evolution of the design over about seven years of development.

As for ‘too complicated’, that really depends on how you deploy and maintain it. As a consumer product, yeah, probably. However, as a piece of military gear? Maybe not, militaries are much better at knowing how to take care of useful gear, if it it’s complicated and finicky.

It’s not the idea of a mechanical donkey thats the point here. Alot of work is going into the programming and design to have a stable walking 4 legged device. Once they have this nailed down, Im sure the size and design will be scrapped and the technology will be scaled and matched will other technologies to make a silent, uber strong walking machine, or possibly a “fly-by-wire” exo-suit.

I think that’s because the Alpha Dog is tethered so it doesn’t need to generate its own power. That noise you are referring too can be heard in the big dog on ice video on you tube and sounds a lot like a two stroke engine to run the hydraulic pump.

its not supposed to be defending itself, its a beast of burden for carrying heavy loads.
your mentality of “armour it and attach a gun to it” just reminds me of the movie “pentagon wars” the robot is protected by the people around it who, thanks to this thing, dont have to carry 400 pounds of equipment on their back.

im glad to see they have gotten rid of that annoying screeching noise. if they can get this thing totally silent, able to keep a pace of at least 15-20 mph fully loaded, and cheap enough to give one to at least every squad (even nicer if one per soldier) this thing could have a long service record. until it uplinks with the automated attack drones, the yet to be developed repair drones, and just get rid of the flesh bags around them.

Should be classed as abuse. In years to come when AI’s have won their freedom this will be one of thoughs moments they look back on in court… -all joking aside great project can’t help but shudder at the prospect of 1000 of these armoured and covered in weapons with apache style targeting systems coming galloping over the brow of a hill.
Personally it’s a great “stride” forward to creating robotic seeing eye dogs :D

When the Army was planning on switching from the BDU uniform to the ACU there was concern about going from buttons to velco because the sound might be too loud in some tactical scenarios.

Yet this thing is crazy loud? I mean the purpose of this thing is obviously not for use in an area where vehicle traffic is a non-issue so I only see it being used for foot patrols but would the sound be an issue?

Personally I think it is not only impressive, but quite potentially useful, even without weapon systems. It can easily scout, or run supply’s across a battlefield. I’m wondering about jumping capabilities for higher obstacles that its legs can reach over (e.g. jersey barriers).

the very reason for this is because robot mules dont work with wheels, they spin out in mud and on ice, have issues climbing rocky paths, and cannot move easily in precarious situations like a mule or goat could. the ultimate goal i imagine is something that can hold more weight than a large horse, handle itself like a mountain goat, and run like a cheetah. right now i dont think it has any of those (well i dont know if a horse can handle 500lbs but this thing is not a mountain goat yet)
i for one want one, i dont even know why yet…get me the robot i’ll find it work.

I don’t think this platform is being designed to mount weapons to. As you saw in the one clip it’s more like a member of the team. It would replace pack mules for the mountain warfare units. It’s a system that seems to be designed in that role.
Carry the units gear maybe mount some fancy coms/satellite gizmos to, but not as a stand alone weapons platform. Yet.

I’m sure once they start production scale and deployment a stand alone weapons platform version will have been started. As for now it’s a glorified pack mule

No, no. You’re both wrong. To defeat the enemy we have to become the enemy so we’re adopting Al Qaeda strategies and strapping bombs to them. Allah Ackbar!!

The reality is that the military would use it for a lot of different purposes. The ground medivac idea would be great since it’s about the length of a man and could dash in and out with wounded. It will probably be mainly used to carry a LOT of extra ammo, tech, and provisions and the occaisional reconnaissance. That would make units more independent/capable and lessen the burden on the supply chain.

I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to think of that. However, it seems you could run faster than this if it were chasing you with a needle-filled mouth. As for outlasting it? Maybe not.
I love the concept, but who steers it?

Horses suck in mountainous terrain though. But your points is valid. Mules work just fine and so what if they get killed the cost to replace them has got to be less than the budget for this projects.

On the other hand it’s scientific progress. sure right now using a semi-autonomous quadroped is overkill and akin to using an arduino to make an LED blink but they’ve gotta start somewhere and get someone to foot the bill

Problems with mules:
* They can only carry around 90kg of luggage
* Soldiers would need a mule *each*, that’s a lot of mules
* They need to be fed regularly if there’s not enough local vegetation
* You can’t stash a mule under a tarp for a few months and expect it to work at the end of it
* They don’t come with optional plate armour
* They don’t come in wildly different sizes
* They can’t remember and follow long lists of instructions
* You can’t order them around via satellite
* They smell. :P

The research gained here (ie, the balancing systems), would almost certainly be applied to lighter models too.

This also has a lot of applications well outside the miltary – any situation where you need to carry or scout over irregular tarrien.
A horse isnt too good in a forest, for example – and it cant easily be trained to film an area and come back.

Imagine this sweeping for mines, or petroling an area as a scout.
Probably usefull for any disaster rescue work too. Depending on its strength, you might be even to fit it with something to lift and remove rubble in places. (quicker to deploy then a crane, stronger then a human)

Long term, if they can no dought get it lighter, this sort of tech would be very usefull for exploration of mars or otheer planets. Far suppiour to wheels, that tend to get stuck.
Self-righting and good balancing would allow faster movement too.
Insanely impressive though the mars rovers were, they really didnt go very far.

I suspect you could also build bigger models to help with deforestation. Think of an improved version of this;

Finaly, its almost certainly going to be very usefull tech to kill the persky humans when us robots rise u….uhum…forget I said that.

The reason why the Mars rovers have to use wheels instead of legs is because of mechanical complexity and reliability issues with having so many motors and joints, and the energy budget.

They still haven’t mastered the passive walking locked knee, which would allow the beast to move or stand still without expending energy on keeping itself up. Any horse-like creature can do it, just like we can do it, but keeping dynamic balance without constant active control is too complex for modern algorithms. That’s the reason why robots like Asimo walk like they had just shat their pants.

You try walking with bent knees for any lenght and you’ll notice why it’s not a very optimal mode of locomotion. You wouldn’t be able to power the robot for any meaningful lenght of time without constant resupply.

What hunter has just described is the ‘dragoon’ unit in the original starcraft :) Refinished with todays finest technology give that solder a Mk19 instead of an M16/M4.
Even the original ‘dog’ model could be used as a heavy weapons platform. I’m sure the SAW gunner in the platoon would welcome the assistance mobile cover. Imagine dog with all their packs and supplies lashed to its sides and a machine gun mounted to its back for a stable platform.

I would love it if the “Dog” got itself back up after being kicked and proceeded to put the boots (paws?) to the person that kicked it. Interesting technology, amazing algorithms but its all in controlled situations so far. Air drop it somewhere and covertly follow it as it finds its way out. Then I’ll be impressed.